Why Do My Hormones Matter? Marla Ahlgrimm Explains

By now, you already know that your hormones are tiny chemical messengers that pretty much tell everything in your body what to do. But, how do they work, can you have too many hormones, and can we influence our hormone production or is it entirely controlled by the body? Marla Ahlgrimm answers these and other questions below. 

 

According to Marla Ahlgrimm, your body creates hormones and, when you eat, exercise, and get enough sleep, your body usually maintains the exact balance you need to perform virtually every function. But, there are many things that you can do to influence your hormone production. Not sleeping enough, using too many pesticides and herbicides, ingesting man-made chemicals, and living a stagnant lifestyle all affect your body’s hormone production. 

Marla Ahlgrimm also notes that taking hormones you do not need isn’t good for your health, either. Although many people mistakenly believe that, “if a little bit is good, then more is great,” this idea does not translate well when it comes to hormones. Fortunately, the body does have built-in mechanisms that deactivate hormones so that they do not reach their target receptors. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always work, as is the case when the thyroid gland produces too much of its hormone. This can result in an overactive thyroid, which manifests as heat intolerance, excessive hunger, obesity, insomnia, weight loss, and irregular menstruation. 

 

For most women, however, simply engaging in a healthy lifestyle, which includes eating well, exercising, and avoiding drugs and alcohol, is enough to keep hormones in check. During times of menopause, Marla Ahlgrimm says that women may need to turn to hormone replacement therapy, which, as the name suggests, replaces some of the hormones lost by the body’s natural aging process.